Category Archives: Editor’s Picks

Destinations, Editor's Picks, Europe

Würzburg has that winning combination

Leave a comment

Words: Len Rutledge  Images: Phensri Rutledge

Three Irish missionary monks visited Würzburg in A.D. 686 to Christianize the local ‘barbarians’. The inhospitable locals beheaded them. Fortunately, we find the citizens are much friendlier today, and we also discover there are many things to do, great places to see, and excellent wine and food to enjoy.

Würzburg, at the northern end of Germany’s Romantic Road, has much history, culture, rich cuisine, religious landmarks, and idyllic scenery. It is a great place to visit and the bonus is you can walk between most sites.

Residenz

We start our sightseeing at the majestic UNESCO World Heritage listed 400-room Residenz, one of the most important Baroque palaces in Europe. Unlike many other huge buildings, it was built in a short period of time and was completed in 1780. The building includes a much-acclaimed staircase and awe-inspiring frescos.

We are told that Napoleon Bonaparte slept here for one night in 1812 en route to his unsuccessful invasion of Russia. It is a place we must see. We visit by a self-guided walking tour but there is also a guided tour which allows access to some of the rooms you can’t visit by yourself.

Don’t miss the on-site church. After the walls were completed, a group of court artists created what is one of the most decorative churches you will ever see.

The palace grounds are considered some of the most impressive Rococo gardens in Germany. There is an artificial lake including fountains and some beautifully carved sculptures. There’s a wonderful symmetry that can be appreciated from the higher ground.

Old Town

It is not far from here to the Old Town. Our first stop is at the scenic Market Square, where a daily bustling food and flower market is in full swing. Overlooking the square stands St Mary’s Chapel (Marienkapelle) with its spire 70 metres into the sky. The striking red-and-white facade of the Gothic church is considered the most important building from that era in the city.

Most of Würzburg’s old city is a pedestrian zone so it’s a great place to walk. When you have done enough of that, pull up a chair at a sidewalk café for some people and tram watching.

The construction of Würzburg Cathedral with its twin towers began in 1040 and went on for nearly 200 years. Today, it is the fourth largest Romanesque church in Germany. It is one of the city’s most important landmarks and can be seen from almost everywhere. The interior is fresh after a renovation and is well worth a visit.

The old Würzburg Town Hall sits on Domstrasse between the old bridge and the cathedral. It is a complex of buildings of different periods. The tower dates from the early 1200s and another part of the building is the only surviving secular building in Würzburg that was built in the Romanesque style.

Marienberg Fortress

The old Main Bridge from 1120 spans the river of the same name and is considered the oldest stone bridge in Germany. It connects the old town with the nearby Marienberg Fortress. In 1730, the bridge was further decorated with twelve statues of saints and emperors.

The Fortress, towering over the city and surrounded by vineyards, was began in 704 AD. It was originally a church then the building was expanded in the Renaissance and Baroque periods with the addition of fortifications. For nearly five centuries it served as a home to the local prince-bishops.

Today, the Marienberg Fortress houses the Franconian Museum. You can visit the museum and see the rooms with their period furniture, tapestries and paintings but most people come for the views. Würzburg is surrounded by vineyards cascading down the slopes on both sides of the river and it’s easy to see why this is a good wine producing area. Perched on top of a nearby hill sits the Kappele Church with its onion-domed towers.

Sleeping, eating, and drinking

Don’t miss the opportunity of having a hearty Franconian meal and tasting some of the local wines. A good place to indulge in German regional specialties is The Bürgerspital wine estate restaurant. You can also take a tour through the estate’s famous wine cellar. The best city restaurant is probably the one-Michelin-starred KUNO 1408. It has created its own particular variation on the Franconian theme.

Germany appears to have no restrictions against drinking in public, so apart from drinking in bars you can buy your own bottle of wine or beer and sit on the old bridge enjoying the view.

Würzburg is a great stop either before or after your Romantic Road tour because it has many hotels, inns and B&Bs, including a number of excellent hotels in the Old Town.

www.LenRutledge.com

Asia, Editor's Picks

Dubai is a very worthwhile stopover

Leave a comment

Words: Len Rutledge   Pictures: Phensri Rutledge

Many travellers are finding themselves in Dubai as it emerges as a major airport hub for flights between Asia, Europe and Africa. Most continue on their journey without stopping but in doing so they miss out on one of the highlights of the region.

Dubai is both a city and one of seven emirates that make up the country of United Arab Emirates. Dubai City in recent years has developed into a global metropolis and a great cultural experience for most visitors.

The city has attracted world attention for its skyscrapers, artificial islands, huge construction projects and world-class shopping malls. What many visitors don’t understand is that all this has happened in a desert which just happens to be by the sea.

In summer you will notice the heat, so be prepared. During this period the average high is 42 degrees and the overnight low is 29 degrees. When we last visited the mercury hit 45 degrees. The short winter is better with highs of 23 and lows of 14.

Hotel choice starts with the Burj Al Arab Hotel built on an artificial island and goes way down to small rooms with little more than a bed. Most of us will decide the US$1225 +10% + 10% rate per night at the Burj Al Arab is too high. Fortunately, you can find reasonable 3-4 star accommodation for around US$100.

dubai

Half-day tours cost around US$30 but by paying a little more my wife and I managed a personalised tour in a limousine and this let us set our own itinerary and stop where we wanted.

We visited Dubai Creek and saw the traditional dhows, Dubai Fort and museum, Jumeirah Mosque, and attractive Jumeirah Beach. Driving out onto the artificial Palm Islands was an unreal experience while Dubai Marina with its surrounding high-rise apartments is a town planners dream.

Dubai is surprisingly spread-out so getting around is not easy. Fortunately, public transport has improved considerably since the opening of the Metro railway system. The driverless trains are easy to use and we quickly learned to move around like locals.

Nothing in Dubai is particularly old but when visiting the souks you seem to travel back in time. This experience is as far removed from the western world as you can get. In the Gold Souk the narrow lanes are lined with shop windows glittering with items in 22 and 24-carat gold. Prices tumbled after haggling and we cheered when they finally reached our budget.

In the Spices Souk, frankincense, turmeric, saffron and the many herbs used in Arabic and South Asian food are on display in a riot of colour. It was fun to talk to the sellers and we were tempted to buy, then we remembered we were travelling across many borders on our trip and decided to just look.

The oldest building in the city is Al Fahidi Fort, now the Dubai Museum. This showed us the traditional way of life in Dubai and it has excellent dioramas and artefacts that go back 5000 years.

A complete contrast is provided by modern Dubai which has a love of all things glitzy and glamorous. The city’s malls have been built as unrestrained fantasy, offering surreal attractions to lure you in.

At the gargantuan Mall of the Emirates, we watched in amazement as hundreds who apparently needed a quick slalom between shopping and hitting the beach took to the indoor ski slope with real snow.

The Dubai Mall with over 1200 shops is the world’s largest shopping mall. We unsuccessfully searched for traditional Dubai cuisine amongst the 120 restaurants and cafes but found just about every other cuisine in the world, 22 movie theatres, an aquarium and an ice rink.

Its biggest attraction for us, however, was the $200million, 275m-long Dubai Fountain which shoots water up to 160m in time with music. Our first experience of this was breathtaking so we returned on three other occasions to see different shows. Don’t miss it.

Also here is Burj Khalifa; at 830m it is the tallest man-made structure in the world. There is an observation deck on the 124th floor but there was a rush for tickets when we were there and several days were entirely sold out, so consider booking ahead.

We enjoyed just a fraction of the things to do in the city; the Wild Wadi Water Park, sailing, sky diving, wind surfing, diving and ballooning all await the next trip. Outside the city, there are desert safaris, camel riding and sand boarding. Short-term visitors will not be disappointed.

www.LenRutledge.com

WHEN YOU GO:

Dubai Airport is on one side of the city so it is quite a distance to many of the beach hotels. Taxis are readily available and the Metro has a stop outside the international terminal.

We stayed near Union Station which is a junction station for the two metro lines and this proved extremely convenient for sightseeing and shopping.

Many passport holders can obtain a free 30-day or 90-day visitor visa on arrival at Dubai International Airport but you need to check before you leave home.

Editor's Picks, Luxury Travel, North America

San Juan is not your normal U.S. city

Leave a comment

Words: Len Rutledge   Images: Phensri Rutledge

Narrow cobblestone streets, cute little squares with spraying fountains and huge trees, enormous Spanish-built forts and restaurants serving spicy Mexican and Cuban fare are not normal in most North American cities.

But then little about San Juan, Puerto Rico is normal. It is far from what we expected. My scant knowledge of Puerto Rico was strongly influenced by the musical ‘West Side Story” where white and Puerto Rican gangs battle for the streets of a section of New York.

Central square San Juan

I half expected to find knife-wielding gangs on the streets of San Juan. Instead, my wife and I found colourful buildings, delightful architecture, friendly people, and a love for an island that has a unique relationship with the USA. Hurricane Maria caused considerable damage to the island in 2017 but San Juan has bounced back and is again open for visitors.

Is it part of the USA?

Puerto Rico is technically part of the United States. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens and make up about 1.3% of the total population of the U.S. They enjoy all the benefits of citizenship, except one: Puerto Ricans who live in Puerto Rico cannot vote for the U.S. President.

But it is not this straight forward. In the Olympic Games, Puerto Rico fields its own athletic team, separate from the USA team. Puerto Ricans don’t file federal income tax returns unless they work for the U.S. government. Bookstores in the U.S. put travel guides to Puerto Rico in their “International Travel” section rather than “Domestic Travel,” where they belong. No wonder we were confused!

Flags flying above the old Spanish fort

Old San Juan

Nearly two million people live in or near San Juan and many of them rarely set foot in Old San Juan. For tourists, it is entirely different. Many visitors see nothing of the wider city except for the drive from the airport to the old city.

Old San Juan lies within a 500-year-old walled citadel that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Medieval masonry and cantilevered balconies seem to float above the narrow cobblestone streets below. The streets are perfect for wandering and seem to insist you explore all their secret nooks and crannies.

They are lined with antique iron lampposts, arty shops and souvenir stores. There are pavement cafes in the squares and beautiful old buildings and churches look out to wide views of the ocean. Musicians play on the streets just like in Europe.

Cool courtyards decorated with European flair hide behind the shops and pavement cafes, inviting you to enter. It is more Spanish than many areas of Spain.

Spanish influence

In 1493, Christopher Columbus “discovered” Puerto Rico and claimed it for Spain. Some years later, the Spanish started their colonisation. Puerto Rico’s geographic position at the western edge of the Caribbean made San Juan one of the key frontier outposts of Spain’s West Indies Empire.

The Spanish built a small fort here in 1540 and then constructed the walls that encircled the city in 1634. The work continued into the mid 1700′s when the King of Spain decided to make San Juan virtually unconquerable.

The walls and two massive forts are some of the major attractions today. No visit would be complete without spending time exploring the fortifications and marvelling at the impressive structures. Guided tours are available for those who want them.

The city is surrounded by massive defence walls

Elsewhere in the city the Cathedral, which was commenced in 1521, is worth seeing and there are several museums. The Museum of the Americas is in a wonderfully restored building while the Museum of Art has local works displayed in a building which itself is a work of art. The Casa Blanca Museum showcases life in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Old San Juan is reasonably compact but it is hilly and is usually hot. If you are not comfortable with a lot of walking, there are free trolleys that will take you around the old city.

Eating, shopping and Staying

The area has some excellent restaurants, fast food outlets, markets, shops and several small hotels. The Hotel El Convento is generally considered the best (and most expensive) accommodation but there are several others in charming old buildings with Spanish ambiance.

Souvenir shopping in San Juan is a treat or a nightmare depending on your point of view. The Old City could be one of the most souvenir-clogged areas on the planet but there are some interesting buys amongst the ‘junk’. Iconic vejigante masks are found at numerous shops, hand-carved wooden figurines of saints called santos are unusual buys, and hand-made Panama hats are useful and a great keepsake.

Outside the Old City, Condado hugs the beach to the east and has many similarities to Miami Beach or Australia’s Gold Coast. Here’s where expensive hotels, and the casinos inside many of them, attract night-life-seeking locals and tourists alike.

A final suggestion is to visit the slick Casa Bacardi Visitor Center across San Juan Bay in Cataño. You’ll pass through seven different zones covering both the history of the company and the rum-making process and have a taste of some of the brew. The best part is that it’s all free.

If you go

Getting there: Various airlines fly to San Juan from mainland USA. There are also direct flights from Madrid, some Caribbean islands and a few South American countries.

Visas: Puerto Rico is technically part of the USA so the same visitor requirements apply. You need to organise a travel authorisation or a tourist visa before leaving home.

When to Visit: Puerto Rico is hot between June and September and warm at other times of the year. January to March receives less rain than other months.

 

www.LenRutledge.com

Europe, Infographic, Street Food Guide, Travel Tips

How to Say Avocado on Toast Around the World

Leave a comment

It’s safe to say the world has been struck by avocado fever. Over the past five years, there has been a 405% increase in the number of online searches for ‘avocado on toast’ around the world.

If you’re wondering how to order the nations favourite dish ‘Avocado on toast’ look no further, Canvas Holidays compiled the ultimate guide to ordering it in 27 different languages as well as 5 fictional dialects.

Dorthaki (Game of Thrones)  – “Fichat anna havon zhavvorsa sovi” 

Elvish – (Lord of the Rings) – “Amin irma avocado coimas“

If you’re heading to Portugal, simply ask for “Desejo uma torrada com abacate por favor” 

As well as these languages, we’ve compared prices around some of the major cities in Europe.

With many of us now getting ready to book our 2018 holidays, we thought it would be useful to show you how to order your beloved ‘Avocado on Toast’ in every language in the EU… and a few others like Dothraki and Klingon in case you plan on travelling farther afield…

Infographic provided by https://www.canvasholidays.co.uk/blog/2018/02/01/ordering-avocado-on-toast-around-europe

Africa, Asia, Editor's Picks, Europe, Luxury Travel, North America, Travel Planning

The Best Travel Destinations for 2018

Leave a comment

The Best Travel Destinations for 2018

Len Rutledge

The travel and tourism industry is booming as more and more people take advantage of low airfares and increased opportunities to see new places. While there has been some resistance to increased visitor numbers in some European destinations, much of the world is still welcoming visitors with open arms.

Here are some suggestions for places to travel and activities to experience in 2018.

The Philippines

Brilliant green rice fields, teeming cities, colourful jeepneys, stunning beaches, and smiling, happy-go-lucky people are all part of the Philippines scene. With more than 7000 tropical islands to choose from, you can find what you are looking for. Divers have long known about the country’s underwater attractions while Northern Palawan is perfect for sea kayakers, and Boracay is a world-class kiteboarding and beach destination.

The Philippines was colonised for 400 years and vestiges of the Spanish era can be seen in exuberant town festivals and centuries-old stone churches while huge shopping malls, fast-food chains and widespread spoken English come from the influence of the Americans.

travel

Boracay Beach. Credit: Philippines Tourism

Manila, the capital, is a pulsating hub that blends the quaint with the modern, the mundane with the extraordinary. Cebu is a choice tourist destination with balmy weather, pristine beaches, crystalline waters, and luxurious resorts. Banaue is a place for nature adventures and cultural immersion and the rice terraces are quite extraordinary. Palawan has thick green forest, white-sand beach, sparkling water and magnificently sculpted jade islands.

Philippines Airlines operates from most continents to Manila and there are some direct services to Cebu.

South Africa

Go almost anywhere in South Africa and you can experience a combination of nature, wildlife, culture, adventure, heritage and style. During these tough economic times, it’s good to find a bargain destination where you can even afford luxury and have spending money left over. There is natural beauty in mountains, forests, coasts and deserts and world-class facilities.

It is not possible to talk about South Africa without mentioning wildlife. Everyone wants to see the Big Five, but there are also whales, penguins, meerkats, wild dogs, birds and much more. If you are looking to experience wildlife viewing in luxury, Tintswalo Safari Lodge, in the pristine private Manyeleti Game Reserve could be the answer. It shares an unfenced boundary with the renowned Kruger National Park and suites are decorated to reflect colonial times.

Tintswalo Atlantic Resort. Credit: Tintswalo Atlantic

The same company has beach-side Tintswalo Atlantic, a 5 star, award-winning boutique lodge nestled at the base of Table Mountain National Park near Cape Town. This is one of the city’s hidden gems. The views of a wild sea crashing below contrasting with a roaring fire and fabulous welcome drinks will set the tone for a memorable stay.

For a city location, the all-suites Michelangelo Towers in Sandton, Johannesburg appeals because it is directly connected to the Michelangelo Towers Mall and the Sandton Convention Centre, and is located directly opposite Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square in the in heart of South Africa’s  Richest Square Mile.

Monaco

Situated at France’s southeastern corner near the Italian border, occupying an area of just 2.8 sq. km, Monaco might be the second smallest country in the world (after the Vatican), but what it lacks in size it sure makes up for in attitude and variety.

There is an ornate opera house, Michelin-starred restaurants, and casinos, palaces, cathedrals, supercars, mega yachts, deluxe hotels and designer boutiques. There are also museums and galleries, festivals, nightclubs, and gardens with exotic plants and sea views.

Monaco. Credit: Monaco Government Tourist Bureau

The country is one of the most surprising and rewarding destinations in Europe. It is just 30 minutes by car, bus or taxi from Nice Airport through hairpin bends and along rocky cliffs. Monaco enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year and a temperate climate.

Berlin

As most readers will know, Berlin has had a chequered history in recent decades. It is now emerging as one of Europe’s leading centres of culture. The modern Mitte district has the Museum Island UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also two opera houses and six major theatres, as well as museums, innumerable galleries and arts venues. Now, many new major cultural projects are locating here, just a few minutes’ walk apart.

Opened earlier this year, the new Pierre Boulez Saal is a major international concert hall with the elliptically-shaped hall regularly presenting concerts and chamber music. A complete contrast is provided by the 1740s Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin’s first opera house, which reopened in October 2017. Unfortunately, Berlin’s most popular museum, the Pergamon, is partially closed but from mid- 2018, visitors can view part of the Pergamon Altar’s treasures at a temporary exhibition building directly opposite Museum Island.

The James-Simon-Galerie will be the Museum Island’s new central entrance and visitor centre with central ticket office, cloakrooms and facilities, cafés and a museum shop when it opens in 2019.

Berlin-Ansichten. Credit: Visit Berlin

To complement all this development, several major hotels have opened in 2017 and more are scheduled for 2018.

The Berlin City Centre Alexanderplatz, opened in May offering 344 rooms with a modern design over nine floors. Later, The Yard,  4-star boutique hotel with 55 rooms opened, followed by the Orani Berlin, a classy hotel with 42 subtle but rather luxuriously furnished rooms. Between now and year’s end the 60-metre-high Motel One Berlin-Alexanderplatz with 708 rooms, The Meininger Hotel Berlin East Side Gallery with 245 rooms and the Hilton Berlin City East with 254 rooms will all open.

Bargain rooms may well be on offer during the European winter.

Los Angeles

Many readers will have been to Los Angeles, USA but most will not be aware of the wide range of museums, art galleries and concert halls that are spread throughout the city. In the downtown area, the futuristic Walt Disney Theatre is an architectural masterpiece and is right next door to the city’s newest cultural and design showpiece, The Broad. L.A.Live is another vibrant entertainment complex offering restaurants and live music venues.

Walt Disney Theatre. Credit: Discover LA. Photo by Matt Marriott

The Westside perhaps has even more attractions. There is the Getty Center located atop the Santa Monica Mountains then on Museum Row, there is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Pettersen Automotive Museum, the Craft and Folk Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. In Century City you will find the Annenberg Space for Photography.

Hollywood, known as the entertainment capital of the world, is an essential part of the L.A. experience. Film enthusiasts will love the renovated TCL Chinese Theatre and you can tour the Dolby Theatre, home of the Oscars. Not far away is Universal Studios Hollywood with its rides, shows and tours.

If you consider L.A. nothing more than a gateway to the USA, you had better re-think. It is one of the top picks for places to visit in 2018.

The Best Travel Destinations for 2018www.LenRutledge.com

www.LenRutledge.com

Asia, Destinations, Editor's Picks, Luxury Travel

10 Reasons Why You Need to Visit Dubai Right Now

2 Comments

10 Reasons Why You Need to Visit Dubai Right Now

One of the most iconic and exotic cities in the world, Dubai is a city of wonder. You will understand the true meaning of development after taking a look at Dubai in the 80s and 90s. There is a lot more to the city than just skyscrapers and 5-star hotels. Whether you are a tourist or a businessman, you will find plenty of accommodation in the numerous apartments in Dubai. What was initially a desert backwater, is now a tourist hotspot.

Here are 10 reasons why you need to visit Dubai right now:

  1. City of multiple cultures

Home to at least 200 different nationalities, Dubai is the city of multiple cultures. Approximately 90% of the population from Dubai are not from the country, making it one of the most diverse cosmopolitan city in the world. As the majority of the population belong to the first-generation, they bring a myriad of cultures along with them.

  1. Foodie heaven

As the city has a wide range of cuisines to offer, Dubai is a heaven for foodies. Whether you are a vegan or a meat lover, the cuisines of Dubai will light up your taste buds. There are hundreds of Arab, Chinese, Japanese, French, Persian, Pakistani, and American restaurants in the city of Dubai.

  1. Hub of modern design and art

Design and art lovers will find Dubai the place to be, because of the various art galleries that dot the city, from Alserkal Avenue to the Financial Center. You can take a look at what the local artists have to offer in the Dubai Design District. On top of that, there are various festivals such as Design Days and Art Dubai, attracting artists from all over the world.

  1. Paradise for shoppers

The largest mall in the world, the Dubai Mall is in this exotic city. Shoppers from all over the world come to Dubai just to satisfy their shopping cravings. Every year, the city hosts the Dubai Shopping Festival, which has discounts and giveaways for anyone and everyone.

  1. Heaven for night clubs and beach bars

With thousands of partygoers and miles of exquisite beaches, Dubai is a heaven for night clubs and beach bars. Spend the morning soaking in the sun and nights partying to the music of the hottest DJs in the world.

  1. The incredible Gold Souk

Situated in the oldest part of the city, you can take a look and purchase some of the best and authentic pieces of jewelry in the Gold Souk. As you can bargain in the Gold Souk, you won’t have to burn a hole in your wallet to get gold jewelry.

  1. Home to the 7-star hotel and other amazing hotels

dubai

As the city is known for tourists and businessmen, the city is home to amazing hotels, especially the Burj Al Arab, a 7-star hotel. The hotel has a fleet of Rolls Royces so that guests can go around the city in style. The exotic hotel in Dubai is standing on an artificially built island.

  1. Unbelievable view from the Burj Khalifa

Almost twice as high as the Empire State Building, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest man-made building in the world. See what Dubai looks like from a height of 828m, while enjoying a meal.

  1. The mind blowing skyline

Wherever you are in Dubai, you can never escape the mind blowing skyline of the city. The city is filled with exquisite skyscrapers, bringing the cityscape to life, both during the day and at night.

  1. Palm Islands

Last but not the least, you can visit Palm Jumeirah, the largest artificial island in the world. On this incredible island, you will find multi-million dollar mansions, 5-star hotels, and resorts. Whether you are flying over the island or passing by on a boat, the palm islands are nothing short of breathtaking.

These are the ten reasons why you should visit Dubai. Book your tickets, pack your bags and head over to Dubai right now.

Asia, Europe, Infographic, North America

The Bizarre & Amusing Translations of Place Names Around The World [Infographic]

Leave a comment

The Bizarre & Amusing Translations of Place Names Around The World

It’s fair to say that we don’t always put a lot of thought into the names of places we visit. In fact, unless they are in the English language, we just take them as read.

This point is widely proven across the USA and the UK, where we all enjoy poking fun at some of the truly ridiculously named villages, towns and cities across both nations.

Ridiculous Place Names

Just take a look at this very enjoyable article from The Telegraph which lists 10 of the silliest place names in Britain.

As you can see, history often plays a big role in naming certain places. Because of this, the original meaning becomes lost and ends up becoming something much more humorous!

The sheer volume of strangely named places is perfectly illustrated in this post from Thought Catalog which lists 52 across the United States, including the likes of Accident, Maryland and Coupon, Pennsylvania.

Clearly, there is no shortage of odd place names in the English language, However, if this is what one language has to offer, how many ridiculous ones exist in all of the other languages?

Well, thanks to a new infographic from clarendonlondon.com, it turns out there’s plenty of them.

The Bizarre & Amusing Translations Of Place Names Around The World

They have gone about translating some of the strangest names into English, with quite frankly hilarious results.

It’s called ‘The Bizarre & Amusing Translations Of Place Names Around The World ‘ and you can take a look below.

This infographic covers a number of continents. However, the conclusion it clearly comes to is that there are a wealth of silly named places in Europe.

Germany is seemingly a wonderful example with a wealth of giggle-inducing place names. The infographic includes Feuchtwangen, which translates as “wet cheeks” and Kotzen, which translates as “vomit”.

place names

Infographic

How To Order A Pizza/Beer/Taxi/Coffee in 15 Different Languages

Leave a comment

No matter where you head for your next holiday, you can be sure there will be no issues communicating with locals.

This is because a lot of countries around the world speak English. In fact, according to Wikipedia, English is the third largest language by number of native speakers in the world. If you take into account non-native speakers, it becomes the second largest.

This is obviously very helpful, especially if you’re travelling to countries very different to where you call home. However, it of course, means that you are very unlikely to make the effort to learn another language.

This lack of effort on the part of British and North American tourists is often interpreted as being rude in certain countries.

The assumption that locals will know English is a reasonable one. However, the expectation is something which understandably can seem rude to those who are already making an effort.

A great example can be seen in this article from the Telegraph. It explains why much of the British Expat community in Spain tends not to bother learning Spanish.

How To Order A Pizza/Beer/Taxi/Coffee in 15 Different Languages

It’s for this reason that before we head off on our next holiday, we should at least learn a few important things.

A great place to start is with common phrases you’re likely to use whilst away. You can find a number of great examples in a new infographic from silverdoorapartments.com.

It’s called ‘How To Order A Beer/Pizza/Taxi/Coffee In 15 Different Languages Around The World’. You can take a look for yourself below this post.

As infographics go, this one really does what it says on the tin. It covers languages from a number of popular destinations including Spanish, Italian and French. On top of this, it offers some for the more adventurous traveller, including Japanese and Russian.

Europe, Infographic

21 Things You Didn’t Know About London [Infographic]

1 Comment

21 things you didn’t know about London

In recent years, the popularity of London city break has gone from strength to strength. It seems that millennials are doing away with the week beach break and instead favouring three days in one of the world’s great metropolises.

As you can see from this post from UK travel association ABTA, statistics now show that they are in fact as popular as beach holidays.

It’s really not hard to see why either. With more cheaper flights than ever and budget accommodation via Airbnb and other services, city breaks can prove to cost very little.

In fact, for the amount of money it takes to book one beach holiday, you could quite easily enjoy two city breaks.

When it comes to selecting a city break, there’s certainly a few everyone must visit. One of these is, of course, London.

London is bar far one of the most popular tourist cities on the planet. In fact, the Evening Standard reported earlier this year that a record 19 million tourist visited the English capital last year.

It’s pretty easy to see why too. London is both a city with a wealth of history and also bucket loads of contemporary attractions.

Just take a look at this post from Planet Ware, which lists a number of world famous attractions.

If you’re planning on visiting this marvelous city, it would be beneficial to learn a little about it first.

And thanks to a new infographic from Central London Apartments, you can do just that!

It’s called ‘21 Things You Didn’t Know About London’ and you can see it for yourself below.

It covers some truly fascinating things relating to contemporary London and also its rich history.

For example, do you know how many people use the London Underground each year? Or why the Palace of Westminster is positioned on the River Thames? You can find the answers and plenty more fascinating things by reading the infographic.

london

Celebrity Vacations, Entertainment, Europe, Festivals, Infographic, Travel Tips

UK, US & European Instagram Festival Map

Leave a comment

Imagine yourself, right now, stood at a music festival of your choice, all of your pals around you, your favourite band playing your favourite song.

Imagined it? What are you likely to do to capture this moment? Of course, it’s going to be taking a photo and uploading it to Instagram, because that’s half the fun of spending a weekend in a field, right?

Accessorize have researched into the most Instagram worthy festivals in the UK, US and Europe and plotted them on a wanderlust-worthy interactive map.

From the wonderful land of the free (USA) to the UK across to Europe – there are some pretty cool festivals to be attending.

The top ten are as follows for the US:

instagram

Coachella, of course, could not be any less than number 1 – the biggest A-Lister festival set in in the Colorado dessert, California. Whether you’re looking to pile in with friends or lounge in the lap of luxury, Coachella has lodging options for every festival goer.

The festival offers more delicious food than you could eat in a weekend, with over 100 choices serving everything from wood-fired pizza and handcrafted burgers to authentic street food and fresh-from-the-wok noodles.

instagram

It was without doubt that Glastonbury gained the throne within the UK festivals, of course – set in Somerset on Worthy Farm in Pilton, Glastonbury has been going for 47 years and started out with a capacity of 1,500 which has increasingly grown to over 135,000.

With the Great British countryside at your feet, I’d recommend signing up for your tickets for 2018.

instagram

Ohh wonderful Europe, how many festivals there are!

Sziget, based in, Hungary takes the festival crown for Europe – with a capacity of over 496,000 that attended the 2016 24th edition of the festival.

Sziget takes place on a beautiful island on the Danube every August and brings together people from all over the world, as well as musical (mainly) and other acts and events. It’s a fantastic multicultural experience, and a lot of people take advantage of it every year.

Check out the interactive map courtesy of Accessorize, and explore the rest of the UK, US and European festivals.